Raphaël Merkies

French footballer

Raphaël Merkies

Raphael with HKFC

Personal information
Full name|  Raphaël Merkies
Date of birth|  (2002-04-15) 15 April 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth|  Paris, France
Height|  1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)|  Midfielder
Team information

Current team

|  Southern
Number|  17
Youth career
|  HKFC
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2017–2022|  Club Colts|  34|  (1)
2022–2023|  HKFC|  18|  (0)
2023–|  Southern|  0|  (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 June 2023

Raphaël Merkies (Chinese: 李小恆; born 15 April 2002) is a professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Hong Kong Premier League club Southern. Born in France, he received Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport at October 2024.

## Club career

[edit]

### HKFC

[edit]

Merkies began his professional career by taking a gap year off university, having been promoted to the HKFC first team ahead of the 2022–23 Hong Kong Premier League season.[1][2] The young winger made his league debut in a 1–0 victory over Sham Shui Po in the opening day fixture.[2] Merkies then scored his first goal for the club weeks later in a Hong Kong FA Cup tie against Resources Capital.[3][4]

Merkies was released at the end of the season.[5]

### Southern

[edit]

On 10 June 2023, Merkies joined Southern,[6] signing his first professional contract.[7][8][9] He went on to take time off school and announced his decision to pursue football as a full-time passion prior to signing with Southern.[10] Merkies netted his first goal for Southern in once again a Hong Kong Sapling Cup tie against his former club HKFC in a 2–2 draw away from home.[11][12]

## Personal life

[edit]

Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, Merkies moved to Hong Kong in 2016 aged 14,[2] enrolling in the French International School of Hong Kong. He is of Dutch and French descent and holds French citizenship. He is also of partial Laotian Chinese descent from his maternal side of the family. He received Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport at October 2024.[13]

## Career statistics

[edit]

### Club

[edit]

As of 16 October 2022[14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition  Club  | Season  | League  | National Cup  | League Cup  | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Club Colts  | 2017–18  | Yau Yee Football League  | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0
2018–19  | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1
2021–22  | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0
Total  | 34 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1
HKFC | 2022–23 | Premier League | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 1[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 6 | 1
Career total  | 37 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 2

Notes

1. ^ a b Appearances in the Appearances in the Yau Yee League Cup
2. ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong FA Cup
3. ^ Appearances in the Sapling Cup
4. ^ Appearances in the Senior Shield

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "積施利欣慰璞玉成器 港會奇迹真本事". www.bastillepost.com. 24 October 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
2. ^ a b c "加盟港會首戰職業賽場 李小恆把握「空檔年」爭佳績". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 6 December 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
3. ^ "足總盃 攻入生涯首球 李小恆：最緊要贏波" [Raphaël Merkies scored the first goal of his career in the FA Cup: the most important thing is to win the wave]. hk.on.cc (in Chinese). 2 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
4. ^ 袁志浩 (2 October 2022). "足總盃︱港會疑向敵對球迷慶祝惹不滿 晉峰失方向 球員：已盡力". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
5. ^ "Good luck Rafa!". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
6. ^ "港超聯 第二簽！李小恆加盟冠忠南區". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 10 June 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
7. ^ 星島日報 (15 July 2023). "港超｜南區簽入8名新兵 楊正光培養小虎鬥傑志理文". std.stheadline.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
8. ^ "【港超聯】南區換血再衝聯賽前三 李小恆新身份嚐新經歷". Yahoo Sports (in Chinese). 15 July 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
9. ^ "港超聯 轉外援身份披甲 李小恆望擔起重責". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 15 July 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
10. ^ "新球季加盟冠忠南區 李小恆為圓足球夢去到盡". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 5 September 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
11. ^ "賽馬會菁英盃 冠忠南區2比2逼和港會". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 31 December 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
12. ^ "菁英盃A組：南區 2-2 港會 | 無綫新聞TVB News". 無綫新聞 TVB News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 5 January 2024.
13. ^ "港超聯 李小恆成功領取特區護照". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
14. ^ Raphaël Merkies at Soccerway

## External links

[edit]

* Raphaël Merkies at the HKFA
* Yau Yee Football League profile

* v
* t
* e

Southern District FC - current squad

* 1 Ng Wai Him
* 2 Chan Yun Tung
* 4 Kawase
* 5 Yanno
* 6 Kessi
* 7 Pereira
* 8 Lee Ka Yiu
* 9 Gregory
* 10 Acosta
* 11 Sasaki (c)
* 13 Chan Ka Ho
* 14 Song Ju-ho
* 15 Lai Kak Yi
* 16 Chak Ting Fung
* 17 Merkies
* 18 Awal
* 19 Ichikawa
* 20 Yau Cheuk Fung
* 21 Wong Ho Yin
* 23 Yung Ho
* 24 Ju Yingzhi
* 26 Chan Hoi Pak
* 27 Chong Tsun
* 28 Cheung Kwok Fung
* 31 Ngan Ngo Tin
* 32 Mak Tsz Hin
* 90 Jackson

* Head Coach: Yeung Ching Kwong

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* v
* t
* e

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template